Sunday, November 30, 2008

Power and Prestige II (Jayson Parker)

After having been designed for and owned by one of the richest men in the world, the Herter Brothers Library table has now found its way into a powerful lawyer’s office, who will soon have the chance to run for the senate. This office is located in the Empire State Building in Manhattan, NY where it symbolizes power and prestige. It is appropriate for the table to be located within one of the most powerful and prestigious cities in the world, which is New York City. Power and prestige are not the only attributes that the table and N.Y.C have in common. New York City started off as trading port and after World War II moved on to become one of the leading cities in the world through Wall Street, the united nations headquarters and by becoming the center of the art world. Similarly, the Herter Brothers started of as furniture makers and soon became one of the most influential and prominent designers in New York City. As a result of their flourishing company, the interior design and furniture industry flourished resulting in well made furniture and design all throughout the country. Simultaneously, the financiers and industrialists were taking advantage of these services and redefining the standards of luxury in the home. Meanwhile in High Point, North Carolina the furniture market is being born and is also making itself known. Part of this movement is a direct result of the increased interest in interior design and furniture, which the Herter Brothers helped develop. This caused thousands of jobs to be brought into existence because of the influx of interest in furniture and design. This interest provoked designers to try and bring design to the masses, just as we have seen all throughout history. As one zooms out and observes all that is taking place, it can be clearly seen that the Herter Brothers and their Library table, no matter how small, played a large role in the development of the interior design industry. They designed interiors for some of the most powerful and wealthiest people; people that are looked up to and admired. Thus the Library table still sits today in a prominent lawyers office in the Empire State Building in Manhattan, NY. It was here that the Library table was made and it is here that it has returned, to its rightful place of power and prestige harkening back to its history while maintaining its glory in the present.